JACOBS' LADDER, OR THE HIGH WAY TO HEAVEN: Being the last Sermon that Master Henry Smith made. And now published, not (as many forged things have been in his name) to deceive the Christian Reader, but to instruct and prepare him with oil in his lamp, joyfully to meet the Lord jesus in his second coming.  1. THES. 5. 21. 
Try all things, but keep that which is good.  
AT LONDON Printed by the widow Orwin, for Thomas man.. 1595.   

jacobs' Ladder, or the way to Heaven.  1. COR. 9 24. So run that ye may obtain. 
BEcause I have but one hour to teach you all that you must learn of me, I have choose a text which is like jacobs' ladder, that shows you the way to heaven. This is all that you would know, and it may please God to open your eyes, that you may know it before ye depart. Hear to practise, hinder not the spirit, but let it work without resistance: record when you are gone, and you shall see the great power of God, what he is able to do for you by one sentence of this book, if ye digest it well. So run, etc. Then we must see first how we should run: Secondly, what we shall obtain: Thirdly, what will hinder us: that is, we must see the way, the lets, and the end. Four things mark in the way, first, begin betime, secondly, make haste: thirdly, keep the way: four, continue to the end, & thou shalt obtain heaven, whither Christ by these steps, is gone before thee. When I have set you in the way, I will point at all the lets, stops, rubs, and blocks which are before you, behind you, beside you, the temptations of prosperity, the temptations of adversity, the temptations of heresy, which stand in the streets, like the fiery sword to stop the way to Paradise. Then I will lead you to the mount, as God did Moses, and show you a far off the blessed land the country above, that you may see where heaven is, what is the way to it, and what glory and happiness is there. When I have showed you the way, the lets, and the end, I will commit you to the race, and end as I began: So run that ye may obtain. So often as I have read or considered these words which you hear, they seem (me thinks) to put us in mind that we are out of the way, and that there is another way, (if we seek it) nearer yet to the kingdom of heaven, than that which we take, therefore the holy Apostle doth wa●●e every man to ponder his steps, (that running) we may obtain that which we run for, which is the worthiest price that ever, was given, and never was given, but to him which kept this way that I will show you. The Apostle saith, that you must run. It is not an easy, nor a short journey, which a drone, a dreamer, a snail, or any careless man may perform, and take his ease, set forth when he will stay at his pleasure, go again at his leisure: but he must always run, from the first day he setteth forth, till he come to his journeys end: for the glorious heaven is far from the dark earth, & much ado to aspire the top of Mount Ston, but much more ado to aspire the top of Mount Heaven. The violent take it from the slothful, and the wicked run to hell, with more pains which they take to do evil, than the righteous need to take for heaven. The Apostle putteth the word so, before run, to teach us to look to our way before we run far: So run, etc., as if he should say, more run than come home, as more shoot than hit the mark. The heathen Philosophers, Plato, Socrates, Aristides, Photion, Pericles, Solon, in their way did run faster than we: Constancy, Temperance, Patience, justice, humility, simplicity, integrity, contempt of death, contempt of the world, seem to be buried with them, and hid in the grave, before this Iron age was borne: yet because they ran without Christ, they did not obtain, but lost their labour, like a man which makes haste out of his way, takes more pains than if he kept the way, and yet never comes whither he would. The blind generation which know not God, in their way run faster than we: Ask the Merchants which have seen their life and our lives, or look in histories and they will tell you, that our Religion is not like their superstition, our knowledge not like their ignorance, our faith not like their fear, our worship not like their service, our christianity not like their Idolatry: yet because they run to the creature, for the creator, and follow uncertain dreams, before the word which came from heaven; they run in vain: for their Religion, devotion, and service, is to them that cannot requite it. Many of our adversaries, Papists, Anabaptists, Donatists, and the grossest heretics, in their way run fasten than we. They watch, they pray, they fast, and distribute more than we, yet because they run to traditions, to Angels, to Saints, to Grosses, to Images to Relics, instead of Christ, and challenge merit of all that they do, and would be canonised beside, that all posterity might honour them as they do Saints: therefore as the pharisees had their reward when men praised them, so have they when one doth worship another. If many run and do not obtain, how easy is it to run in vain, and how happy is he which obtaineth that, that all men wish: when so many miss it for nothing but for this, because they run out of the way. You have heard, read, and done much, and more would do, to obtain eternal life with the Angels in heaven, for this ye pray and fast, and watch, and obey the laws of God, and come together every Sabbath to hear, to pray, to praise and serve him which giveth. How many prayers, how many fasts, how many watches, how many works, how many hours in reading the word, in hearing the word, in receiving the sacraments, in examining your hearts, in chastising your flesh, were spent & lost if you should run in vain? as Esau hunted for a blessing & went without it. Therefore the holy Ghost doth say nothing, but it is like a mark in our way, to show us when we are in, & when we are out: for God would not have us lose our labour like Laban, which could find in his heart after jacob had served him twenty years to send him away empty: but he would have you to seek and find, to ask and receive, to run and obtain, therefore he saith, so run that ye may obtain. As there is a heaven, so there is a way to heaven: one way Adam came from Paradise, and by another way he must return to Paradise: the passage is not so stopped, but there is a way, though a strait way, and a door though it be a narrow door, and therefore few do find it, only they which are like jacob, do see a Ladder before them, as jacob did, he had many dreams before and did not see it, at last he dreamt, and behold a Ladder which reached from earth to Heaven, and all the Angels descended and ascended by it, to show that no man ascendeth to Heaven, but by that Ladder: this Ladder is Christ, which saith, I am the way, and therefore he biddeth us to follow him. If we must follow Christ his steps, let us see how he went to Heaven, he begun betime, for at twelve years of age he said, I must go about my Father's business: he made speed, for john saith, That he spoke and did more good things in three and thirty years than could be written: he kept the right way, for when he said, who can accuse me of sin? none would accuse him of any, though they watched him for that purpose: He continued well, for he died like a Lamb, and prayed to his Father, and forgave his enemies. Therefore we will call the steps of this Ladder, Maturè, properè, rectè, constanter, that is, begin betime, make haste, keep the way, and hold to the end, and thou shalt go after thy master. Touching the first, begin betime, God requiring the first borne for his offering, and the first fruits for his service, requireth the f●●st labours of his servants, and (as I may say) the maidenhead of every man, because the best season to seek God, is to seek him early, and therefore Wisdom saith, They which seek me early shall find: but to them which defer she saith, 
Pro. 8. 17.  Ye shall seek me, but ye shall not find me. We have long purposed to serve God, and every man thinketh 
Pro. 1. 28.  that he should be served, but we cannot accord of the time when to begin. One saith, when I am rich, another saith, when I am free, another saith, when I am settled, another saith, when I am old, than I shall be fit to fast and pray. Thus because we are given to set the best last, that we may have a longer time for our sins and pleasures, like the jews in the first of Agge, which said always, The time was not 
Agge 1. 2.  yet come, when they should build the Temple. Therefore the holy Ghost crieth so often, This is the acceptable 
2. Cor. 6. 2.  time, this is the day of salvation, to day hear his voice, like Rebeccah which taught her son the nearest way to get the blessing. So soon as man was created, a law was given him, to show that he should live under obedience from the day that he is borne: so soon as he is borne, he is baptised in the name of God, to show that when we cannot run to Christ, we should creep unto him, and serve him as we can in youth and age: so soon as he beginneth to pray he saith, thy name be hallowed, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, before he ask his daily bread, to show that we should seek the will of God before the food that we live by, much more before the sins & pleasures which we perish by. So soon as the Lord distributed 
Mat. 25. 15. Luk. 19 13.  the talents, he enjoined his servants to use them: who is so young that hath not received some talon or other? Therefore youth cannot excuse him, because the talon requires to be used of every one that hath it: so soon 
Gen. 1.  as God created the man & the woman, he commanded them to increase & multiply: shall we increase and multiply in the flesh, before we increase & multiply in the spirit? the first thing that God did after he created heaven & earth, he did separate light from darkness, 
Gen. 1. 14.  showing us how we should separate our good from evil, before our good become evil. The first lesson that john taught was, Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. The first lessons that the Disciples 
Mat. 3. 2.  taught was, Repent too, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. And the first lesson that Christ taught 
Mat. 10.  was, Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. To teach what we should do first, Repent, was the first 
Mat 4. 10.  lesson to young and old. Therefore David prayed, Teach me O Lord to number my days, not my years, 
Psal. 90. 12.  nor my months, nor my weeks, but my days; showing that we shall answer for days, as well as for years, for today as well as tomorrow, and for our youth, as straightly as for our age, even as the little 
2 King. 2. 23.  children were devoured with Bears, for mocking the Prophet: which made David to cry, Remember 
Psal. 25. 7.  not the sins of my youth: which he would not have spoken if God did not mark the sins of youth, as well as of age. Therefore the Fathers were charged 
Deut. 6. 7.  to teach their children the same law which they had themselves. Therefore Christ rebuked the Disciples 
Mat. 19 14.  which forbade the little children to be brought unto him For, should children honour their Father, & not honour God? it was a sweet consort when the children went before Christ to his Temple, & sang their Hosanna, to make their father's ashamed which did not know the Messiah when he came, when their little children knew him? It is written, when Christ heard a young man answer that he had kept the Commandments from his youth, Christ began to love him: which shows how Christ loves these timely beginnings, when we make him our nurse, and draw our first milk from his breasts. There is not one confession for old men, and another for young men: In the Creed the old man saith not, I did believe in God, and the young man saith not, I will believe in God, but both say, I do believe in God: for he which is called I am, loveth I am, and careth not for 
Exod. 3.  I was, nor I will be. When Christ asketh Peter Lovest 
joh. 21. 15.  thou me? he looketh that he should answer him, Yea Lord I love thee, and not drive off as Felix did Paul, I will hear thee, I will love thee when I have a convenient 
Act. 24. 25.  time: nay when thou hast no convenient time, for if this be the convenient time, after this, the time convenient is past. Manna was gathered in the morning, because when the Sun rose it did melt away: So virtue must be gathered betime, for if we stay till business and pleasures come upon us, they will melt it faster than we can gather it: therefore in the fourth of proverbs, Wisdom is called the Beginning, to teach us to seek wisdom in the beginning, as a man taketh the best first. If Eliah would be served before the widow, when she had not enough to serve herself: will God be served after thee? nay after the flesh, and after the devil? what canst thou owe him to morrow, which thou art not indebted to day? yea, doth not God require Morning sacrifice as well as Evening sacrifice? It is an old saying, repentance is never too late: but it is a true saying, repentance is never too soon, for so soon as we sin, we had need to ask forgiveness: beside, repentance is a gift, and therefore must be taken when it is offered. For if judas could have repent when he listed, he would never have hanged himself. The time past is gone, and thou canst not recall that to repent in: the time to come is uncertain, and thou canst not assure that to repent in: the present time is only thine, and thou mayest repent in that, but anon that will be gone too. Therefore when Christ wept over jerusalem he said, O if thou hadst known in this thy day: calling none their day, but this day: if none can be called thy day but this day, than this is thy day of repentance, or else thou hast none at al. Therefore one resembleth the mercy of God to the Pool in jury, where the sick and leprous lay, for at one time of the day an Angel came and stirred the water, and 
john 5. 2.  then he which stepped in first was healed of his disease, he which stepped in first was healed, none but he which stepped in first, so he which taketh time is sure, but he which foresloweth time, oftener faileth than speedeth: for, when golden opportunity is past, no time will fit for it: yet, as when Christ went about to cast out 
Mat. 8. 29.  devils, they said that he tormented them before the time: so whensoever thou goest about to dismiss thy sins and pleasures, though thou stay till thou be'st sick and old, and ready to die, yet they will say still that thou dismissest them before the time: but then is the time when the devil saith, the time is not yet, for the devil is a liar, and knoweth that what liquor our vessels be seasoned with at the first, they will taste of the same ever after. Therefore linger not with Lot, for if the Angel had not snatched him away, he had perished with Sodom for his delay. They were not wise virgins, but foolish virgins, which sought not for oil, before the Bridegroom came: Samuel began to serve God in his minority, Timothy read the 
2. Tim. 3. 15  Scriptures in his childhood, john grew in spirit, as he ripened in years: so whether thou be old or young, thy repentance cannot be too soon, because thy sin is gone before. If thou lackest a spur to make thee run, see how every day runneth away with thy life: youth cometh upon childhood, age cometh upon youth, death cometh upon age with such a swift sail, that if our minutes were spent in mortifying ourselves, yet our glass would be run out, before we had purged half our corruptions. Thus much of the first step. The second step in your 
2. Step.  journey, is to keep the way, as God taught the Israelites a way to Canaan, sending a fiery pillar before them, which they did follow wheresoever it went, so when he ordained a heaven for men, he appointed a way to come unto it, which way he that misseth shall never come to the end. As Herod sought Christ over all jury, but none found him but those which followed the star: so there is something still that leadeth men to Christ, which we must follow or else we cannot come where he is. There be many wrong ways, as there be many errors, but there is but one right way, as there is but one truth. And therefore jacob did not see many, but one Ladder, which reached to heaven: and john Baptist is said not to prepare the ways of the Lord, but the way: showing that there is but one right way in this life, which Solomon understandeth for the mean, and therefore he saith, Turn not to the right hand nor to the left, implying that we may err aswell of the right hand as of the left, as if he should say, some are too hot, as other are too cold; some are too superstitious, as other are too careless; some are too fearful, as other are too confident: there is as zeal without knowledge, a love without singleness, a prayer without faith, and a faith without fruits. Therefore the Apostle doth warn us to examine whether we be in the faith, not whether we have a kind of faith, but whether we be in the faith? that is, the true faith. Therefore Paul saith, Run so: it is not enough to run, but we must know how we run: it is not enough to hear, but we must care how to hear: it is not enough to believe, but we must care how we believe: it is not enough to pray, but we must care how we pray: it is not enough to work, but we must care how we work: for we cannot do good, unless we do it well, as we may see in this example. Cain offered, and God abhorred, because he cared not for the manner, God cared not for his offering. Simon Magus believed, Herod listened, Foelix feared, Saul obeyed, jesabel fasted, the Pharisees prayed, but because they did not believe so, hear so, fear so, obey so, fast so, & pray so, as he which saith, Learn of me: when they say that they have fasted, & prayed, and obeyed, Christ he will answer them as he doth in Matthew, I know you not. Therefore if ye ask like the scribe, how ye shall come to heaven, the right way to heaven is the word, which came from heaven. But here some will say, the word indeed doth contain the right way, but many cannot find that way without a guide. Therefore I have picked out of the word that way which God calleth the right way: the way which the word doth set thee in to heaven, is to do unto other as thou wouldst have other do unto thee, to exercise good works, and yet believe that Christ's works shall save thee: to pray without doubting, and yet be content that thy prayer be not granted: to keep within thy calling, and do nothing by contention: to bring thy will unto God's will, and suffer for Christ, because he hath suffered for thee: to repent not only for thine open and gross faults, but for to count every sin great, to apply all things to the glory of God, and of every thing to make some use.  
Thus the word goeth before us like the fiery pillar, and shows us when we are in, and when we are out, or else the broad way would seem the best way, and therefore all which care not for the word, go like blind men to hell for heaven: look but to the Papists, which have the word in an unknown tongue, some clamber to heaven with merits, some by Angels, some by penance, and some by pardons, and every man hath a way by himself, and all out of the way: As Naaman answered Elisha when he was commanded to wash himself in Iorden, are not Abanah and Pharpar rivers of Damascus better than Iorden? may I not wash there and be healed? so they say, are not pardons as good as works? are not pilgrimages as good as prayers? is not sacrifice as good as obedience? is not reading as good as preaching? may I not go to heaven this way and that way, as well as by the word? No, as no water but Iorden could cleanse Naamans' leprosy, so no way but the word can bring to heaven. For which cause the laws of God are called the ways of God, and the word of God is called the word of life, to show that there is no way to life, but the word which is called the way and the life. Therefore now ye see the way, I conclude with Esay, This is the way, walk in it: Thus much of your second step to heaven, which is, keep the way.  
Now when ye are in the way, it is good to make speed, therefore the next step in your journey is, Make haste. For this cause Paul saith Run, which is the 
1. Step.  swiftest pace of man, as though he should go faster to heaven than to any place else in the world. His meaning is this, that as a man doth watch, and run, and labour to be rich quickly, so he should hear, and pray, and study, and use all means to be wise quickly. This the Apostle understandeth when he biddeth us to add, as if he should say, when thou are in the way and knowest good from evil, every day kill some vice, and every week sow some virtue, and make thy two talents five talents, thy five talents ten talents, and ever be doing, and at last it shall be opened, because thou hast knocked. Christ saith. The kingdom of heaven is got by violence, therefore a man must be earnest and zealous in the religion that he professeth, or else it maketh no matter of what religion he is, for if he be but lukewarm, God threateneth to spew him out of his mouth: every man hath a kind of religion, and the religion of most is to be like one another, as merciful as other, as humble as other, as devout as other, but God saith, Be holy as I am, not as other are: for Christ saith, Except your righteousness exceed the righteousness of the Pharisees, although they were holier than other, ye shall not enter into heaven. That is, except ye be more than statute Protestants, which go to the Church and hear an homily, and receive once a year, but will not offend any person, nor leave any custom, nor bear any charge, nor suffer any trouble for the glory of God, ye shall come to heaven, when the Pharisees come out of hell. As love deligheth men, so zeal pleaseth God: for zeal is the love of God. Therefore every sacrifice was offered with fire, to show with what zeal they should burn, which come to offer prayer or praise, or thanks unto the Lord. Therefore the holy Ghost descended in fire, to show the fervency of them upon whom the holy Ghost resteth. Therefore the Cherubins were portraited with wings before the people, to show that they should be as earnest and quick about the lords business, as the Cherubins. Therefore God would not take a lame, nor a halting sacrifice, to show how he abhorreth slackness in all our duties. Therefore Saint james saith, Be swift to hear: we must be swift to pray, swift to obey, swift to do good, for he is not cursed only which doth not the lords business, but he which doth it negligently: that is, he which doth any thing before it, like him that would bid his friends far well, and follow Christ after. The hound which runs but for the hare, runs as fast as possibly she can: the Hawk which slayeth but for the partridge, slayeth as fast as possibly she can: and shall he which runs for heaven, creep more slowly than the dial? Who hath so much faith as the Apostles? yet how often doth Christ say, O ye of little faith. Complaining that their faith was too little, and therefore when Peter answered him that he loved him, as though he loved him not enough; Christ asked him again, whether he loved him; and as though he loved him not enough yet, he asked him again, Lovest thou me? for he would have us love him as he loved us when his heart blood was shed for us: therefore when he demanded his love, he measured it by the heart saying, Thou shalt love God with all thy heart, with all thy strength, with all thy mind. Thrice he repeateth all lest we should keep any thing from him. Our Saviour saith not, that his Father is glorified that we bring forth fruit, but in that we bring forth much fruit: is it not better to be vessels of gold than vessels of brass? Do ye not see how Christ rejected him which said he kept many commandments, because he would not do one commandment, for one work which he would not do, our Saviour made no reckoning of all that he had done. It was good for the Apostles that they left all and followed Christ presently, but this should not be written but to teach us with what speed we should follow Christ, watching the star so soon as it riseth, and the pillar so soon as it neinoveth. In this ●●riue and go one before another, as Peter and john strone who should come first to the sepulchre. For if Agrippa could be saved when he was almost a Christian, Paul would not have laboured to make him altogether a Christian. Therefore though purity be counted heresy, yet remember that Christ saith, None 
Matthew 5.  can see God but the pure in heart: and know, that there is no dealing with these mockers, but to answer them as David answered Michol, when she scorned him for his humbleness, he said, I will be more humble yet: so when they mock thee for thy zeal, spite them with more zeal, for evil is not overcome but with good. Thus we have passed the third step unto heaven. 
4. step.  The fourth step in this happy journey is, Persever to the end. For if you begin betime, and go aright, and make haste, and continue not unto the end, your reward is with them of whom Paul saith, Their end is worse than their beginning. There is nothing in our life which suffereth so many eclipses and changes, as our devotion, hot and cold, in and out, of and on, not in one mood so long as the Sparrow fits upon the ground, but longing like the Chameleon to the colour of it which we see: if we see good, it puts us in a good thought: if we see or hear evil, it turns us from good to evil again: thus man is rolled upon a wheel that never stands still, but turns continually about, as though he were giddy and treading of amaze. He is upon the side of a hill, where it is easy to slide, and hard to get up the flesh: therefore the Apostle moved with pity, seeing man stand upon such a slippery ground, as it were in a ship ready to sink, or a house bending to fall, he crieth to them that stand surest, Take heed left ye full, that is, when thou hast put on the armour of light, and art in the spiritual field to fight the Lords battles against the world, the flesh, and the devil: turn not back like Demas, but remember the comfort of Elisha, that there be more with thee than against thee, and that the tempter can overcome none but them which yield. Other servants change their masters for better masters, but all that serve God are like the servant which received a print in his ear, after the manner of the jews, in token that he would serve his master for ever, like the vestures which bore their owner's mark. Therefore the holy Ghost crieth so often, Be faithful even unto the death: Be not weary of well doing: Take heed lest ye fall, for when thou art weary of thy goodness, God doth not count thee good, but weary of goodness: and when thou declinest from righteousness, GOD doth not count thee righteous, but revolted from righteousness: therefore Paul saith, Pray continually, as though prayer were nothing without continuance: jacob did not overcome God so soon as he began to wrestle with him, but when he had wrestled with him all night. And it is said that Christ took pity of them that stayed with him. I will not leave thee saith Elisha to Eliah: so we should not leave God: some came into the vineyard in the morning, and some at noon, but none received any reward but they which stayed until night. As God's mercy endureth for ever, so our righteousness should endure for ever. Every thought, and word, and deed of a faithful man is a step towards heaven, in every place he meeteth Christ, every thing puts him in mind of God, he seeks him to find him, and when he hath found him he seeks him still, he is not satisfied, because at every touch there comes some virtue from him. jacob served seven years for Rachel, and after them he served seven more, and yet he was content to serve seven more, and when he had served so many years they seemed unto him as nothing, because he loved: he which served so long for Rachel, served all his life for heaven: and if he had lived till this day, he would have served God still, and thought it nothing because be loved him: to have the Ark but a while, doth more hurt to the Philistines than benefit them, so to serve God but a while, doth more damage us then help us, for happier is the Child which never began than judas, whose end was worse than his beginning. What a lamentable thing is it to hear this plaint of him which was once the strongest in the world, Samson hath lost his strength for Dalilah, for the love of Dalilah that doth not love him: to show what a shame it is to end worse than we begin. Christ shows what a reproach it was unto him, which began to build and could not set up the roof, the passengers by pointed with their fingers and said, this man began a foundation, but he could not cover it: so they will say, this man thought to be holy, but he could not keep promise. What shall I say saith josnuah, when Israel turneth the back, when Israel turns the back, this astonished him, and this makes the whole Temple shake when the pillars tremble? What an offence is it to the Church to see Peter to deny Christ, which said even now that he would never forsake him? To see Lot commit incest with his daughters in the mount, which strived so to preserve them chaste in Sodom, to see Solomon worship Idols which erected the Temple for the worship of God, to see Noah mocked of his son for drunkenness, for whose righteousness his son escaped, as if the stars should fall from Heaven, and light go from the sun. Wisdom is angry with him which leaveth his righteousness, to become worse, the Vine would not forsake her grapes, 
judg. 9 9  the Olive would not forsake his fatness, the fig tree would not leave his sweetness, but the bramble did, he is not the Vine, nor the Olive, nor the fig-tree, but he was a bramble made for the fire, which leaveth the joys, let the dog turn to the vomit, and the swine to the wallow, but you like Abraham hold on thy sacrifice unto the evening, in the evening of thy life, and a full measure shall be measured unto thee. This is a long sleep, and man is like a horse which loveth short journeys, therefore how can he hold out so far: when one told Socrates, that he would very feign go to Olympus, but he feared that he should not be able to endure the pains, Socrates answered him, I know that thou usest to walk every day between thy meals, which walk continue forward in thy way to Olympus, and within five or six days thou shalt come thither: how easy this was, and yet he saw it not, so is the way to Heaven, if men do bend themselves as much to do good, as they beat their brains to do evil, they might go to Heaven with less trouble than they go to hell. Our idle hours are enough to get wisdom, & knowledge and faith, till we were like saints among men: if thou look only to the stops, & tell all the thorns which he in thy way, thou shalt go fearfully, wearily, and unwillingly, every thing shall turn thee aside, and every snail shall step before thee, and take thy crown from thee: but then lift up thine eyes from the earth and look to Christ calling, the spirit assisting, the Father blessing, the Angels comforting, the word directing, the crown inviting, and thy fetters shall fall from thee, & thou shalt rise like the Sun & marvel how the thing could seem so hard, and be so easy, when ye do well remember that ye change not for the worse, and do, as ye do then, and ye shall continue to the end. Now I have encouraged you like soldiers, and taken away your fear, I will bring you to the sight of your enemies, and will set them before your face, not to weaken you, for that were want of charity, but to make you wary, which is true love indeed. To number them surely I cannot, they are so many: and exactly to describe them, it is beyond my skill, they are so subtle. Howbeit, to give you a little taste: I may say as Elisha said to his servant, and you shall see it, if you have your eyes open: sear not, for they that be with us are more than they that be with them, and he that is on our side is stronger than all. But if you will hear what the holy Apostle saith touching them, I can tell you. He affirmeth, and that by the very spirit of God: we wrestle not against flesh and blood only, but against principalities, powers, worldly governors, the Princes of the darkness of this world, even spiritual wickednesses in the high places. And S. john saith, they are the lusts of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, & the pride of life, let other men think of them what they list: they that hear them thus described, and have felt the force of them in their own souls, could not choose but confess, that they have been many in number, mighty in power, subtle in practice, and what not: who knoweth not this, that the more enemies we have, the more need we have, both of force outwardly, and of care inwardly: as again, the more powerful they are, and the more weak we are, the more we should seek for help else where. In outward and bodily foes and forces, we confess the truth of this, and do all what we can to show ourselves wise, circumspect, and courageous: How much more had we need here, to express all these things, where the conflict is more hard, though the conquest obtained be more glorious: and where again our foes and their forces, be more mighty and many, though their overthrow once performed, giveth them the fools foil. But whom shall we look to herein? Other men are as weak as ourselves, if not worse, for all men, lay them upon a balance, they are altogether lighter than vanity itself. And if we fear and distrust ourselves, how dare we, or how can we put confidence in others? specially sith God saith, Cursed is every one that maketh flesh and blood his arm. To look up to the holy and elected Angels, will do us little good, because they go not but being sent, and always wait for a word and warrant from the Lords own mouth for all their actions: besides that, their own oil and force is little enough for their own supportation. To God therefore, that is the God of our strength, we must needs come, yea and to him alone, or else we are utterly overthrown and cast away. And if we cannot say and do too as David did, Lord whom have I in heaven but thee, & I have desired none in earthwith thee, we are in a woeful taking, and utterly lost. For fear without, and fire within, Satan's malice also, men's mischief, and our corruption, will carry and harry us, as it were a violent tempest or whirlwind. Amongst the heathen they had many odd conceits, to chase away bodily and spiritual enemies, as those that have written their histories and actions, have plainly set forth: sometimes fire, sometimes water, sometimes blood, and sometimes one thing, and sometimes an other, as man's brain is a bountiful ship to forge such devices in. The Papists differ not much from them, who think that whippings and scourge, will tame and subdue the corrupt affections of the heart, and that the casting of a little holy water (as they call it,) or the making of a cross in the face, forehead, breast, or any other place, will chase away Satan, & all his hellish powers. Of all which actions & ceremonies either heathenish or popish, were they better than they be, (but indeed they are stark nought as they use them) we may say as the Apostle saith: Bodily exercise profiteth little, but godliness is profitable unto all things. And had Satan's malice, and man's presumption stayed here, and gone no further in gross imaginations, concerning this and other matters, it had been the less evil. But in our light and liberty of the Gospel, some suppose, that the very saying of Lord have mercy upon us, and that without saith or feeling, many times, is all in all: and the pronouncing of this petition, Lead us not into temptation, and that without sense or understanding of it, is sufficient to sunder Satan, and our own corruption as far from us, as the East is from the West. Upon them their spiritual enemies prevailed, by gross ignorance, and superstitious conceits: upon us by careless presumption, and presumptuous carelessness, neither the one of us, nor the other, understanding rightly as we should, either our foes forces, or our own weakness. And that is the cause why they and we in former time and of late, joined with them, and sundered from them, have received very fearful falls and overthrows: For all is one with Satan, so he catch and snatch men, and have them in possession, he eateth not by what means. But wilt thou not escape danger only, but overcome also? I will show thee O man, what thou shalt do, at any hand go out of thyself and other creatures whatsoever, for if thou stick to them though never so little, thou dost disadvantage thyself at the least, if not overthrow thyself. The wicked spirits are as strong to effect evil, as the elect are to do good: and so much the more powerful that way, by how much they attempt it with commission from God, and find fit matter in men to work upon. And what then? fix the eye of thy faith fast upon God in Christ, and thou shalt never miscarry. For he that cannot lie hath said it, I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee for ever: and in the new Testament Christ hath told us, which is also a word of as sure a promise, The gates of hell shall not prevail against this faith. Nay, I will say more in the strength and power of this persuasion, thou shalt be made more than a conqueror, thorough him that hath loved thee, and washed thee in his own heart blood. I know and confess there are many lets and hindrances, to the persuasion and practice of this truth: but hear and believe only, and I will show you yet a more perfect and assured way, by which you shall be made to walk safe, either in the day of death, or in the time of temptation, or in any other course or cross, that may betide you in this life. See that you have not only the two side posts, and the upper door posts of your houses, stricken over with the blood of the Lamb, but your hearts purged through faith in his blood, from the power of dead works; and then the destroyer that overthroweth others, shall pass over thee, and bring thee in good time to the full fruition of the heavenly Canaan. But thou wilt say as the slothful person doth in the Proverbs, There is a lion, yea many lions in the way: I answer: reckon them up, and bring them forth: they shall all by God's grace be easily removed. All sorts of afflictions are bitter, I confess it, and so are many things in meat, drink, and physic, and yet we refuse them not, but use them rather, because of the good we know or hope, they will effect in us. And why say we not, as the Apostle by the spirit doth: Nochastisement for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous? Howbeit afterward it bringeth forth the quiet fruit of righteousness, unto them which are thereby exercised. Death also is dreadful: what then? but to whom I pray thee? even to the man that hath his trust in his riches, or hath no hope of a better life: but to him that believeth in Christ, it is become through the power of the death and obedience of Christ, a speedy passage to eternal life. We endure many dreadful and dangerous things, and run through fire & water, and alfor a corruptible crown: And why should we not with patience and prayer pass through this, which is the very high way to heaven? Besides, hell is horrible Neither will I deny that: but still I demand to whom it is so? surely to the devil and his Angels, and all manner of wicked ones, for whom it hath been prepared of old: but as for the godly and elect, it cannot come nigh them. For Christ the very way, truth, and life itself hath told us, and therefore we ought to credit it: He that heareth my words, and believeth in him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation, but hath passed from death unto life. Lastly, is not sin a shrewd and sore enemy to encounter with? I confess it: but to whom tell me I beseech you? even to them in whose mortal bodies it reigneth, to fulfil the concupiscences thereof. To other, in whom the ●oo●e of it is dead, it is not so, whether we respect this life, or that which is to come: for here the relics of sin, are but as pricks in our sides, to provoke us to better things, and to stir us up to hunger and thirst after righteousness: and for the life to come, we shall be utterly freed from the same, and have all tears wiped from our eyes. To bring all into a sum: I say let all objected be as true, as any thing may be: yet all these and a thousand more such like, are nothing to him that is in Christ. For the Apostle saith, There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ jesus: and it is he alone that hath destroyed death, and became sin for us, that we in him might be made the righteousness of God. And surely such a one may in some good measure of comfort, joyfully say to the defiance even of death itself, and all other ghostly enemies whatsoever: O death where is thy sting! O grave where is they victory! The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law: but thanks be unto GOD which hath given us victory, through our Lord jesus Christ. Yea he may say, as the Saints and Martyrs have said in the midst of fiery flames, I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor Angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate me from the love of God which is in Christ jesus our Lord. Oh but death is terrible still! I answer: in such a cloud of witnesses, and evidence of truth, may I not in some sort and sense say, O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? how long now shall I suffer you? Is it fearful to any, but to a natural man, and to him that hath his felicity here, and in the things of this life? Surely it is nothing terrible to him, that is made a comfortable partaker of the fruits of the death of Christ, who died and rose again, to the end he might destroy death, and him that had the power of death, even the devil himself. But hell is horrible. True: but yet to them, for whom it is prepared: but thou art in Christ exempted from it. For why did he himself suffer hellish torments both in body & soul? to leave the 〈…〉 to make it terrible or horrible to thee? no, but to free thee and all his from the fear of hell, & the feeling of everlasting condemnation. Oh but what shall I say touching my sin that is great and grievous, & the peculiar wages of it, is death eternal. That is true in the nature of sin, & the justice of God: but with the Lord there is mercy, that he may be feared. Stand still a while, and you shall behold the great works of God: & be not faithless but faithful, and believe the truth of the word. What is more clear than this? where sin hath abounded, there grace hath abounded much more. And though it be in a Prophet, yet where have we a more plain, plentiful, or evangelical promise then this? Though your sins were as crimson, they shall be made white as show: though they were red as scarlet, they shallbe as will. If we have the hand or writing of an honest man, we think ourselves bound to give credit thereto how much more should we believe the most true & unchangeable word of the eternal? To which, not for any want in himself, but by reason of the weakness of our faith, he hath been willing, the more abundantly to show unto the heirs of promise, the stableness of his council, to adjoin & bind himself with an oath, saying, As I live, I will not the death of a sinner, yea I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and I will remember their sins and iniquities no more: that so by two immutable things, that is, his inviolable oath, & assured promise (wherein it is unpossible that God should lie) we might have strong consolation. And as for these objections, or any the like, what are they else, but in truth and substance, the very evil reports, that the spies brought upon the promised land? And yet there was a very true testimony, given by joshua and Caleb: yea the palpable proofs they had by the cluster of grapes, and other things which they brought from thence, were irrefragate witnesses. Will you believe then because they are many? that is flat popery: & beside, God forbiddeth us to cleave to a multitude to do evil. Will you fear them, because they are mighty? That is to distrust God, who is greater than all: and to make them omnipotent, which is blasphemy. Will you doubt because they double their assaults? That is no end of temptation, but this rather, to add an edge unto our prayers, that so through them we may hear in our hearts that cofortable speech. My grace is sufficient for thee, & my strength shallbe perfected through weakness. And when we shall have all our senses satisfied, in the contrary truth, yea so far forth, as that our eyes may see, our ears may hear, our hands may handle the good things of God (over and beside the faith, we have in him concerning them) it is not gross only, but impious, not to believe. But here in this life are many pleasures and certain delights lawful, as houses, friends, wives, children, goods, honour, and almost infinite such like. That is very true: but with this honey, God inter●ingleth some gall, lest the souls of his servants might run not to sin. And who is he that can be ignorant of the uncertain estate of all & every one of them? Our friends fall away, as a fruit that is ripe before his time, or as the morning dew. Our houses are overthrown, and are like the ruins of a defaced hold, not one stone of them being left upon another. Our wives may be lewd in their lips, lose in their lives, and wicked as was jobs, and wish us to curse God & die. Our children, not riotous only and disobedient, but unnatural also, and rising up against us, as Absalon. The goods we possess, are not unfitly by Solomon resembled to the Eagle, that taketh her to her wings, & flieth aloft into the air: as for our honour, which we make as it were some deity upon earth, it is turned into shame, in the twinkling of an eye, or else forgotten, as it had never been: And we, that in our own imaginations, are Lords of all, are as the dust or chaste of the earth carried from all. And what reason is there then, that these or any such like, should hinder us in our race towards heaven? He that hath an inheritance or land in the world, will not be hindered from taking the possession or enjoying of it, when it falleth unto him, by the tears of his wife, the entreaty of his children, the heap of his riches, or any such like things: And why should we suffer these simple conceits, to steal away our hearts from the hope and having of heaven? Besides, who knoweth not, that as in respect of the life to come, all these heaped up in the greatest measure that possible can be in this world, are not so much as a shadow of the good things that shall be revealed. Hath the spirit said in vain, that which the eye hath not seen, neither the care heard, neither ever yet entered into man's heart, hath GOD prepared for them that love him? Or shall we think it a lie? or that GOD meant to dissemble and dally with us? Oh be it far from us to think or speak so. Is that glorious description of that holy and heavenly jerusalem, mentioned in the revelations, but a fiction or forgery? It were blasphemy for any man's heart to imagine so: we are rather to think, that God by that which is known, and can be comprehended, expresseth that which yet is hidden from us, and shall in good measure be comprehended of us also, we knowing then, even as we are known now. Wherefore let us not fear all or any of our adversaries, or pulbacks, for true love expelleth fear: neither let us be saint hearted in ourselves, but labour rather to lift up our hands which hang down, and to strengthen our weak knees, for faithful is he that hath promised, who will also perform it. Be faithful unto the death, and I will give thee the crown of life. He that so runneth shall be sure to obtain, and have his portion with the Saints, in the heavenly inheritance, of a crown that never fadeth nor falleth away. But he that careth not for this course, must have his portion with hypocrites, in the lake of fire and brimstone, that burneth for evermore, and be shut out of the kingdom with the fearful, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, whoremongers, sorcerers, idolaters and such like. Wherefore as you love life, and loath death, run well I beseech you: yea even as our text was at the beginning, so say I at the ending, So run that ye may obtain: which I do not only propound unto you by exhortation, but commend and commit by supplication to God for myself and you, that every one of us, and I myself especially, may in feeling and faith say: I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departing is at hand, I have fought a good fight, and have finished my course, I have kept the faith, from hence is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord the righteous judge, shall give me at that day, & not to me only, but unto them also that love his appearing.  
FINIS.